The story takes place in an age when the Immortal, Demon, and Human realms coexist. The human realm is where all living beings dwell. The Demon Realm is divided among the clans of Qingqiu, Cangming, and Heishui, while the Immortal Realm’s Nine Heavens govern the order of all worlds. Three hundred years ago, the war between immortals and demons nearly shattered the Pillar of Heaven. Ever since, the rifts of Guixu have remained open year-round. The Heavenly Dao is unstable, the Immortal Realm has been gravely weakened, and the Demon Realm has suffered even greater losses. To maintain a façade of peace, the Nine Heavens claim the right to dictate terms in the name of “protecting the world,” while the demon clans are forced to accept peace terms that leave them little more than vassals.
Qingqiu was once one of the most illustrious royal courts of the demon clans. Now, defeated in war and weakened by internal strife, it is little more than an empty shell with a respectable appearance. The Fox Clan excels at seduction, illusion, perception, and evading calamity through fate. As a result, they are both feared and looked down upon. The heroine comes from this very clan, one that “seems noble, but is being bled dry.”
The Nine Heavens appear righteous and radiant, but their hierarchy is rigid. The upper echelons of the Immortal Clan regard demons as outsiders who can be used but never trusted, subdued but never reconciled with. Betrothals, honors, and alliances are all merely tools for perpetuating power. The male lead serves in the Northern Pass Celestial Army, tasked with guarding the rifts of Guixu. It is the sharpest and most dangerous blade in the hands of the Nine Heavens.
